PETONE ROBBERY

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 29, 28 October 1932, Page 13

PETONE ROBBERY

Sale of Stolen Jewellery ONE MAN CONVICTED Other Found Not Guilty The trial of two men on charges of receiving stolen goods, the proceeds of a jewel robbery at Petone, was concluded in the Supreme Court yesterday before Mr. Justice MacGregor and a jury. The men were Thomas Fearon, 34, barman, and Arinadeo Joseph Millanta, 23, painter, who were indicted for receiving the jewellery knowing it to have been dishonestly obtained. Fearon was found guilty and was remanded for sentence. Millanta was found not guilty and was discharged. The case for the Crown was summed up by Mr. P. S. K. Macassey. Mr. R. E. Pope, for Fearon, said it was for the Crown to prove beyond reasonable doubt that he received the goods knowing them to have been stolen. He bought the articles for £2/10/- from a man as old gold and intended to sell them as old gold. The market value of the gold was about £5. People were selling old gold every day, aud Fearon probably thought he could get more money for the articles as old gold than as watches. It was only when the facts came to light that he appreciated what the real position was. His Honour reviewed the evidence and said be thought it was conclusive against Fearon. As regarded Millanta ho told lies to the detective and finally went into the witness-box and gave what he said was the true story, largely at tho expense of his brotber-in-law. It was for the jury to say if the story he told in the box could be accepted. Did ho assist iu the breaking up of the jewellery? If the jury was not satisfied ou that point and had any reasonable doubt that he know what was going on be was entitled to be acquitted. So far as Fearon was concerned, continued his Honour, he bought the jewellery for £2/10/-, an absurd price, smashed it up and then proceeded to dispose of the gold, for which he would have received about £5, 100 per cent, more than he gave for it. If the transaction had been a straightforward one from the start, why didn't they say so? The jurv, who were absent threequarters of an hour, found Fearon guilty and Millanta not guilty.